Collapsible container



Nov. 26, 1 H. T. GIRDLESTONE ET AL 3,737,417

COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER Filed Aug. l3, 1928 Patented Nov. 26,1929

' UNITED STATES PATENI? OFFICE coLLArsIBLn CONTAINER Application filed August 18,1928, Serial No. 299,301, and in Great Britain February 4, 1928.

This invention relates to closures for collapsible containers and has for its object to provide improvements therein.

In accordance, with this invention we pro- 5 vide for a container of which the internal .volume can be controlled, for example, by a collapsible body,'said container being provided with an orifice having a comparatively stiff projection at least partly round said orifice in combination with a closure member adapted to pass through said orifice, said closure member having a conical form spreading outwards below and upwardly terminating in a peak, the neck of the closure member, on closing the container exactly fitting into the opening and closing tightly up to the wall of the opening, whilst at the' same time the upper surface of the spreading part of the closure member closes up against the whole inner surface of the stiff projection to form a tight closure and having preferably a slight clearance from the sides whereby the amount of material extended is controlled.

' The invention. also, consists in a closure member, substantially as hereinafter described.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one form of device for example a tube, made 1n accordance with this invention. I Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a tube fitted with one closure member.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the closure member.

Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 are sectional elevations of tubes fitted with modified forms of closure members.

Fig. 7 is an elevation of a modified form of closure member. v

Fig. 8 is a sectional elevatlon of a further modification. Fig. 9 illustrates a further modification 1n elevation.

Fig. 10 illustrates a form of pin used 1n Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 illustrates a further modificatlon in elevation.

Fig. 12 is a plan of the modification illustrated in Fig. 11 and Fig. 13 shows a plan of the top of the container in Fig. 5.

Fig. 14 is an elevation of Fig. 9.

In Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings a tube a of collapsible material is provided at one end with a comparatively stiff shoulder 6 partially closing that end of the tube but leaving a central orifice 0., A closure member to said orifice is provided consisting of a stopper 0 of substantially hollow bell shape, the flange of the bell being considerably turned outwards to form a shoulder d adapted to coact with the shoulder b on the container, the body part c of the bell being of a suitable size to fill the orifice 0 in the container when'the shoulders of container and closure member are in contact, there being a slight clearance between the sides f of the tube and the shoulder d of the closure member which regulates the amount of material extruded, for example paste and paints. The tube is adapted to be filled through its open end 9 with contents In for example, paste.

In use the closure member is first inserted in the tube a through the open end and the protuberant or body part c of the closure member is passed through the orifice at. the other end of the tube so that the shoulders I), d on the container and the closure member are in contact. The tube is then filled with material and sealed at the open endg by the usual method. The protuberantpart e of the closure member may now be pressed down or backwards through the orifice and will allow some of the contents of the tube to rise above the shoulder (Z on the said closure member. If now the collapsible tube a is pinched the contents that are on top of the shoulder f the closure member will be extruded throug the orifice action of the closure member. The hollow interior of the bell shape of the closure member assists in the centering thereof. The downward or opening movement of the closure member may be limited by a shoulder.

In Fig. 3 the shoulder 01 of the stopper 0' is smaller than that shown in Fig. 2 so that a greater clearance is given between .it and the wall of the container, thereby a smaller quantity being extruded.

In Fig. 4 the top of the stopper 0 is shown having a central part shouldered to allow of its retaining some of the contents of the tube which can be wiped off.

stopper is slightly shouldered or indented as at to allow of the shoulder on the container engaging therewith and disengaging owing to its resilience when the stopper is pressed downwards; This prevents the stopper being pushed back accidentally.

A resilient cover p to the stopper device may be provided with any of the above forms to keep said device clean. The cover p enga es with a recess in the contalner neck.

11 the forms illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8, the closure member is preferably formed of a hollow stamping or moulding of a suitable material, cone shaped and having a straight shoulder at o.

In the form illustrated in Figs. 9 and 14:, a hollow groove 7' is provided at the closure member 0' outside the nozzle, into which a spring U-shaped clip n, as illustrated in Fig. 10 may be disposed to prevent the nozzle or closure member slipping back into the container by accident at undesirable times. The spring slip n is inserted 1n the groove 1' around the closure when the groove is in such a position that it is in alignment with the top of the shoulder or projectionof the tube. It is then impossible for the closure to be forced back.

When the tube is first filled for transport, the spring wire clip n is inserted in the groove 7', thus ensuring that the closure cannot be knocked back. After the tube has been opened the spring clip may then be dispensed with.

Figs. 11 and 12 illustrate a further manner of locking the enclosure. In this form a projection p is provided on the closure member and is adapted to slide through a groove 9 in the container top. The projection 79' is shouldered at its under end so that the projection leaves the groove 9 when the closure member is at the outer end. The projection 17 engages with a ledge or annular projection 8 on the top of the orifice of the container and prevents the clsoure member slipping back.

In use owing to the large area of contact between the closure nozzle and the shoulder of the container tube the air tightness of the closure is ensured.

The quantity exuded is governed by the diameter of the flanged of the container and the length of the conical or body part c. The larger the diameter of the flange and the longer. the conical part, the greater the amount exuded, as only the contents of the tube which are pushed on the top of the flange wiper perfectly clean and no deposits of the contents are left exposed to the air to be contaminated thus ensuring a truly hygienic device. By no chance can the contents of the tube be exposed to the air.

When the closure member closes fully to 80 close the orifice of the tube, the groove 1' is dlsposed at such a height thereon that this shoulder .9 allows of the insertion of the spring clip 71. in said groove.

In the modification illustrated in Figs/11* and 12, rotation of the projection p out of register with the groove 9 has a similar effect of preventing the closure member being forced back, by said projection p engaging with the projection s of the tube.

The closure is an air tight one.

The details of the invention may be varied without departing from the scope thereof.

What We claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A container of which the internal volume can be controlled, for example, by a collapsible body, said container being provided with an orifice having a comparatively stiff proection at least partly round said orifice in combination with a closure member adapted to pass through said orifice, said closure member having a conical form spreading outwards below and upwardly terminating in a peak, the neck of the closure member, on closing the container exactly fitting-into the opening and closing tightly up to the wall of the opening, whilst at the same time the upper surface of the spreading part of the 010- sure member closes up against the whole inner surface of the stiff projection to form a tight closure.

2. A container according to claim 1 having a slight clearance between the sides of the container and the spreading part of theolosure member.

3. A container in combination with a' closure'member according to claim 1 and releasable means for preventing the closure member being forced back into the container when such-"action is not'desired.

In testimony whereof, we afiix our signatures. j

HERBERT THOMAS GIRDLESTONE. JAMES REST. 

